Two years later, still few answers in unsolved Waltham homicides

Wednesday

Sep 11, 2013 at 12:01 AMSep 11, 2013 at 11:13 AM

Wednesday marks the second anniversary of the infamous 2011 unsolved triple homicide in Waltham and although the high-profile case has been in the national spotlight multiple times, local, state and federal investigators are yet to announce any recent developments.

Eli Sherman

Wednesday marks the second anniversary of the infamous 2011 unsolved triple homicide in Waltham and although the high-profile case has been in the national spotlight multiple times, local, state and federal investigators are yet to announce any recent developments.

In 2011, there were 17 homicides in Middlesex County, three of which took place on the same day in Waltham. Cambridge natives Brendan Mess, 25, Raphael Teken, 37, and Erik Weissman, 31, were killed on Sept. 11 in a Harding Avenue apartment. Each of their throats had been slit and their bodies were covered with marijuana.

“That was the most heinous crime that occurred in Waltham in my memory,” said acting Waltham Police Chief Keith MacPherson. “I hope we can bring it to a resolution.”

The homicides were covered extensively shortly after they happened but as time passed, nothing surfaced from the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office investigation, so coverage on the case diminished.

A year and a half later, on April 26, 2013, it was reported that the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office was looking into a possible connection between the triple homicide and Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was killed in a shootout with police in Watertown. The unsolved triple homicide was suddenly thrown back into the spotlight and this time on the national level. Tsarnaev and Mess knew each other, as they trained in mixed martial arts together.

The DA’s office had said after the killings that it was “believed that the victims knew the assailant or assailants, and the attacks were not random,” according to a statement released on Sept. 15, 2011.

In May 2013, Ibragim Todashev was shot and killed by an FBI special agent at his home in Orlando, Fla. Todashev was killed after a “violent confrontation was initiated by the individual,” according to an FBI press release. The FBI said Todashev was being interviewed in connection with the Boston Marathon bombing investigation. Several news organizations cited unnamed sources, saying Todashev was reportedly about to admit guilt in the Waltham homicides and was possibly going to implicate Tsarnaev in the killings as well.

The Middlesex DA’s Office would not say whether Todashev was connected to the homicides and this claim has not been confirmed. The FBI has not disclosed what it discovered from the eight-hour interview that preceded the killing of Todashev.

Now, on the second anniversary of the homicides, the investigation remains open and details about the case are kept under wraps. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement that she would not be able to comment on any specific details pertaining to the investigation because of Rule 3.6 of the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct for prosecutors, which covers trial publicity.

“The investigation into the tragic murder of three men in Waltham remains open and active,” Ryan said. “These cases receive constant attention as we seek to develop sufficient evidence to satisfy our standard of proof for prosecution.”

The investigation has followed a protocol that is somewhat consistent with all homicide investigations in Massachusetts, as dictated by statute. DA offices take the lead on all homicide investigations in accordance with Chapter 38, Section 4 of Massachusetts General Laws.

About two dozen Massachusetts State Police officers work directly under the supervision of the Middlesex DA’s Office and assist in several types of investigations including homicides, according to DA spokeswoman Stephanie Guyotte. Typically, an assistant district attorney is assigned to a homicide case and works in conjunction with the state police and local police.

Former Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone, who was heading the office at the time of the homicides, moved on from public office and now practices law privately. Leone referred all questions about the case to the Middlesex DA’s Office.

John Verner, former assistant district attorney serving under Leone, was originally assigned the case, but has since moved on to work in the Attorney General’s Office. A spokesman from the AG’s Office said Verner did not usually speak directly to the media and referred all questions regarding the case to the Middlesex DA’s Office.

Former Waltham Police Chief Thomas LaCroix led the department at the time of the homicides, but was found guilty in court this June of assaulting his wife and has since been replaced by MacPherson.

The investigation is now led by Adrienne Lynch, chief of the DA’s office homicide division, and State Police Detective Lt. Tom Sullivan. Lynch and Sullivan work in conjunction with Waltham Detectives Tim King and Patrick Hart.

“While every agency undergoes changes of personnel, we are fortunate that our team response ensures that there is no loss of effort or focus due to any transitions,” Ryan said.

Ryan also announced through a statement in May that they were “working closely” with other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. Federal investigators getting involved with a local homicide is uncommon, according to an FBI spokeswoman who said the bureau’s jurisdiction usually covers homicides that happen on federal land and those that violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

Ryan, who acceded the unsolved homicides from her predecessor, would not comment on the likeliness of them getting solved, but remained determined in the investigative process.

“As district attorney, I am committed to identifying and bringing to justice perpetrators in cases which have been unsolved,” Ryan said. “We continue to work toward resolution of this matter, seeking justice for Brendan Mess, Erik Weissman and Raphael Teken.”

Eli Sherman can be reached at 781-398-8004 or esherman@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @Eli_Sherman.

Get Involved

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The Dedham Transcript ~ 254 Second Ave., Needham, Massachusetts 02494 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service